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Friday, October 11, 2013

One week on... [Pre-lab Quizzes]

This week, out of 190 students registered on Blackboard, 64% (87%) submitted answers before the practical, 7% (5%) looked at the quiz but did not submit before the practical and 8% (8%) did not look at the quiz online before the class (c.f. figures in brackets for the first week). As previously, a considerable number of "just in time" submissions were returned.

There were some really insightful answers submitted citing references - clear evidence of independent reading in preparation for the practical. The on time submission rate dropped, but the big change this week was the number of students submitting blank answers to the essay format questions, presumably in order to see the feedback - up from less than 1% in the first week to 21% in Week 2. Many of these students are clearly testing for weaknesses in "the system". We've already cut this one off at the pass by switching from Essay format questions to Fill-In-The-Blank format, as I explained earlier in the week (TiL - a better way of using Blackboard) - so this strategy won't work next week as by automarking FITB questions using pattern matching, such students won't see the feedback but will be told to answer all the questions.The first definitive conclusion from this pilot study it therefore that essay format question are not suitable for these quizzes. FITB questions will certainly reduce staff input required but whether that are an improvement in this circumstance remains to be tested.

Thus the never ending war of wits between fresher and grizzled lecturer continues.